Addressing-machine.



' J. S. DUNCAN. ADDRESSING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED APR. 5, 1912.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

. Patented Dec. 2, 1913.

, J. s. DUNCAN.

Patented Dec. 2, 1913.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2 m M w E a w n A m 2 Patented Dec. 2 1913.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

. E ii a WEE;

=3 v r H, W l r I! II JLS. DUNCAN. ADDRESSING MACHINE.

" arruon on FILED 1123.5..1912.

' 1,080,202. 'Paten ted Dec.2, 1913.

I 5 snnn'rs-snnm: 4.

155s. DUNCAN. ADDRESSING MAGHINE.

APPLIGKTION FILED APR. 5, 1912.

1,080,202. Patented Dec; 2, 1913.

P on envelope and the connection with stops; Fig.

AQSIG'ITOB, T0 ADDRESSOGHAP H GOItIPANY,

tliRPORATIDN 0F ILLINOIS.

ADDRESSSING-MACHHQE.

To all whom it may concern ileit ltnowi-i that I, Josnrrr S. DUNCAIL; a citizen of the United States, residing at.

Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements n Addressmg-Machmcs,

of which the follow in is a s eciiication.

m! 1 3.1115 inventlon relates to machines for rintinq addresses or other sub'ect matter i 2..

I like and its OlJjQClJ is generally to improve and nsure uniformity.

in the work.

invention is to produce and distinct impression from the printing device and this I accomplish by providing an, improved platen and novel mechanism for operating the same whereby will be lowered into printing position and then moved across the printing uniform pressure.

Another object of the invention is to support the printing device during the printing operation in a substantial and rigid manner, to maintainthe' printing characters in single plane. v

A further object of the invention is to so mount the bed that it will normally be dis' posed beneath the path of travel of the printing devices as they are fed along and to provide mechanism for raising the bed. into engagement with-each printing d vice when it reaches printing position so that the device will besupported thereby during the printing operation.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be understood from the following description when considered in the accompanying drawings a uniformly clear illustrating one the invention.

Referring to the drawings-Figurc 1 is a fragmentary plan View of an addressing machine equipped with my invention; Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is a side elevation looking toward the left in Figs. 1 and 2; Fig d is a fragmentary plan view showing the-bed and the platen frame stantially on the line of Fig. 2; and Fig. 6 is a sectional view, certain parts being removed to more clearly illustrate the mechanism for movingthe platen across the bed.

On the drawings, 11 designates the main specification of Letters Pa tent. Application filed April 5,

. the platen frame 17. One of thespeoial ob ects of the present the platendevice under preferred embodiment of 5 isa sectional view taken-sub Patented Den. 2, 391$.

1912. Serial Ito. 888,635.

frame of the machine upon the rear of 'WhlCll is mounted a magazine (not shown) from which the printingdevices are fed to printing" position by the usual endless chain oarrier. The uprig'htsfor standards 12 and 13 are mounted upon the main frame 11 and carry the platen mechanism which will now be described. I

Upon a transversely extending rod or shaft 14: supported in the forwardly projecting bosses 1-5 and it is pivotallynlountcd This frame comprises the side arms 18 which are joined at their forward endsby an integral arch or yoke, the rear ends of the arms being upturned and equipped at their upper extremities withenti-friction rollers vl9 normally held in oieretive engagement with the cams 20 fixe on the main shaft 21 by a tension spring 22'secured at one end to the rod carried by the forward arch of the frame and at its other end to an arm 24.- fixed to the angle bar which connects, the standards 12 and 13. The spring 22 normally retains the forward end of the frame in elevated position, as shown in Fig. 2 and in full lines in Fig. 3, but at each revolution of the cams 20 the frame is rocked about the shaft 14 into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. *3, this position of the frame being hereinafter referred to as the printing position. To obviate distortion of the platen frame and to insure that both sides of the frame will be depressed the same distance at each operation of the cams 20, have provided on the front of the frame downwardly projecting foot 26 in the path of which are disposed a pair of fixed stops 27 rigidly secured upon the bars 28 carried by the main frame of the machine. At each operation of the platen frame the feet 26 are brought into engagement with the stops 2'? by which the dowmvard movement of the frame is limited;

In order to secure a clear, distinct and uniform impress on from the printing device at each. operation of the platen, it is desirable that the platen be depressed ea h time under a uniform predetermined pressure and that the pressure he the same at each point of contact of the platen. Flatfaced platens have been employed extensively prior to my present invention but the pressure exerted upon each type to be print ed will depend, when this type of platen is used, upon the total number of type among which the pressure is distributed and, if the printing device has several full lines of type, a less distinct impression will be produced than if fewer type are present on the printing device. My present invention aims to secure a uniform pressure ofthe platen upon each character of the printing device irrespective of the number of such characters on any particular device and, to this end, I employ in lieu of the ordinary flat faced platen a rotatable platen which is moved downwardly to printing position by the hereinbefore described platen frame and I is then moved bodily under a uniform predetermined. pressure across the printing de vice with the result that the same pressure is applied to every character on the device. The platen proper, as will be evident from the drawings, consists of a cylindrical mem ber 29 composed of hard rubber or any other preferred material rotatably mounted on'a shaft 30 carried at the forward ends of a pair of arms 31 which are preferably joined intermediate their ends by a web to form a rigid frame. Upon the shaft 30 there is also mounted a pair of steel rollers 33 which are normally held in engagement with the flat track members 34 fixed to the lower face of a .platen adjuster 35, by means of tension springs 9 attached at their lower ends to a pin 10 connecting the arms 31 and at their upper ends to the rod 23 on the platen frame 17 The platen adjuster consists preferably of a. cast member shaped to conform to the arch of the frame 17 to which it is yieldingly secured by a bolt 36 passing through the platen frame arch and threaded into the adjuster. An expansion spring 37 surrounding the bolt- 36 urges the adjuster upwardly against the arch. The adjuster, however, may be adjusted to bring the lower faces of the track members 34 into proper position by means of four adjusting bolts38 which are threaded through the top of the platen frame and project into slight depressions or sockets in the upper face of the adjuster. It will be manifest that by scrmving these bolts inwardly the required distance the adjuster will be properly positioned to exert the requisite pressure upon the platen when the feet 26 ofthe platen frame are engaged with the fixed stops 27. Si'iitablc lock nuts-39 are preferably provided to lock the adjusting bolts in :uljusted position.

The rearward movement of the platen across the face of the printing device is 'produced by the following mechanism: The roar ends of the arms 31 are pivotally conncclod by a. rod 4-0 to a frame 4-1 which in turn. is mounted to osr'illalo upon the shaft l-i.-. The franu': ll is provided at one side with an upwardly projcmxing arm 42 lo the -ruin: f which connected one end of :1

link 43 attached at its other end to the upwardly projecting arm of a bell-crank lever 44 pivoted on a stud 45 projecting inwardly from the standard 13. A roller 46 is n10unt ed on the upwardly projecting arm 14 in position to be engaged and operated by a cam 47 fixed on the cam shaft 21. The cams 17 and 20 are timed so that immediately after the platen frame has been depressed by the cam 20 the cam 47 is brought into operative engagement with the roller 46 to move the platen 29 across the face of the printing device from the full line to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 6. Dur :ing its travel across the printing device the platen is held down under the requisite pressure by the rollers 33 which travel along the under faces of the track members 34:. The pressure of the platen may be regulated, as previously stated, by proper adjustment of the adjusting bolts 38. After the. printing operation the platen frame is returned to normal elevated position by the spring 22 while the platen itself is moved to forward position on the frame by a return spring 22 or other preferred means. I

The envelops or' other material to. be printed are fed either by hand or by any suitable automatic mechanism to printing position beneath the platen and over the printing device. A plate 48 which I shall i designate as an envelop plate 15 carried upon in frame 49 pivoted upon a rod 50 extending through the standards 12 and 13. This plate is employed to prevent "the envelop from coming in contact with u and becoming smudged by the inking ribbon which is carried at one end upon a ribbon roll 51 and at its other end upon'a similar roll (not shown) positioned at the front of the machine. Suitable guides 52 are secured beneath the plate 48 between which, and the plate, the ribbon is run. The plate has an aperture 53 over the printing device so that the envelope may be depressed against the ribbon at this The frame carrying the envelop 4 point. plate 48 is provided with a rearwardly extending arm 54: having an eye for the roception of a rod connected. at its upper end to the rearwardly extending arm of the bcllcrank lever 44-. \Vhcn the parts are in normal or inopcratve position the forward end I of the plate 48 is elevated above the path of travel of the printing devices by a pin 56 which is inserted through the rod 55 but when the platen is depressed into printing position the forward end of the plate 4-8 is also depressed simultaneously therewith as shown in .llig. 6. An ei'pansion spring 57 surrounding the rod 55 is interposed be tween the arm 54' and an adjusting nut 58 so that the plate 4-8 is yieldingly depressed and should-the 'n'intingl device he improperly positioned no injury to the plain 19 or other mechanism would result by engagement of the plate with the device, After the ing operation the forward end of the plate is raised to elevate the envelop above the ribbon so that the envelop can be Withdrawn or delivered without smudging by the ribbon.

The printing devices, as heretofore stated, are fed along the upper surface of the 1nachine frame successively from a magazine at the rear of the machine to printing position beneath the aperture 53 in the envelop plate 48 by a chain carrier or other suitable mechanism. The printing devices themselves may be of any preferred construction, being either stamped up from a single sheet of metal 'orcomprising a slotted holder 73 in which individual cast or rubber type 74 are positioned. In any event it is desirable that a rigid support be afforded to the print ing device during the printing operation. For this purpose I have provided a bed 59 which is secured upon a yoke 60, the lean print- -wardly extending arms of which are pivotally mounted upon the frame of the machine at 61. Normally the bed 59 is disposed beneath the plane of travel of the prii'itin'g devices so as not to interfee with their movement and at the proper time after the printing device has been stopped in printing position the bed is elevated to contact with the back the same during the printing operation. The bed as shown in Fig. 5 is formed onits under side to provide or cam surfaces 62 and beneath the bed there is disposed a slide 63 having similarly inclined surfaces adapted upon longitudinal movement thereof to engage with the cam surfaces 62 and elevate the bed. The slide 63 extends rearwardly of the machine and is pivotally connected at its rear end at 6% with an arm 65 secured upon a rock shaft 66 mounted in the machine frame and provided on its outer end, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, with an upwardly extending opera't ingarm 67 connected by a link 68 with one arm of the platen frame. As the frame is with the result that-"the actuated the shaft 66 rocked in a. counterclockwise direction, viewing Figs. 3 and 5,

forward to raise the bed position beneath the printing device. Upon return of the slide to normal position the bed is returned or withdrawn from the printing device by a tension spring 69 secured at one end to a pin or rod 70 on the main frame of the machine and at its other end to a stud 71 projecting from the and. of the yoke 80. The best results are obtained when the printing" device is su ported be-- tween the lines of printing characters rather than beneath the characters themselves and I have. therefore, provided the bed 59 with upwardly extending ribs or projections 72 adapted, when the bed is raised, to engage of thedcvice and rigidly support.

slide is moved 59 into supporting a plurality of inclined tained by the U the frame whcrebythe platen pressure may the printing device between the lines of characters and rigidly support the same during the printing operation. This form of bed is particularly etlicient When printing devices, consisting of a frame in which the individual printing characters are mounted, are used. 11' other types of printing devices are to be used, obviously, the bed shown may be replaced by another especially adapted to the character of the particular devices.

The operation of my invention briefly is as follows: The envelops or other material to be printed are fed into printing position on the envelop plate 48 and the ribbon is fed forward and the printing devices are fed from the magazine to printing position in any suitable manner. Upon rotation of the cam shaft 21 theforward end of the platen frame is depressed, from the full line position shown in Fig. 3 to the dotted line"position, by the cams 20. Simultaneously the bed 59 is elevated into engagement with the printing device by the slide 63. The platen is then moved rearwardly from the full line position shown in Fig. 6 to the dotted line position by the cam 47 and simultaneously the envelop plate 4-8 is depressed so that the envelop is firmly pressed against the ribbon overlying the printing, device by the platen 29 as it moves rearwardly across the device. After the printing operation has been completed the partaare all returned to normal position, as previously described.

claim:

1. In an addressing machine, the combination of a bed, a platen frame mounted on a pivot above the bed to from said bed, a platen, means for yieldingly supporting said platen on the frame, and means for moving the platen relatively :to the frame across the bed.

, 2. In an addressing machine, the combination of a bed, a platen frame pivotally mounted above the bed and movable toward and from said bed, means fixedly mounted in the path of movement of said frame for positively limiting the extent of movement toward the "bed, a platen yieldingly susframe, and means carried bv be regulated.

3. In an addressing machine, the combination of a bed, a frame disposed above the bed and movable towardand from the bed, means positively"limiting the movement of the frame toward the bed, a platen, an ad juster carried by said frame above the platen, means for retaining both ends of the platen in operative relation with the adjuster, and means for adjusting the position of the adjuster on the frame to regulate the platen pressure.

4. In an addressing machine, thecombination of a platen frame, an adjuster depending'from said frame and provided with move toward and a pair of tracks, a platen, rollers mounted on the ends of the platen and adapted to roll' on said tracks, a spring for yieldingly retaining said rollers in engagement with the tracks, means for adjusting the adjuster to regulate the platen pressure, and means for moving the platen along said tracks.

5. In an addressing machine, the combination of a platen frame, means for automatically raising and lowering said frame at predetermined intervals, fixed stops mounted on the machine frame in the path of the platen frame for limiting the lowering of the frame, a platen yieldingly carried by the frame, means for adjusting the position of the platen on the frame, and means for moving said'platen bodily across the frame.

6. In an addressing machine, the combination of a mov: ble platen frame, a single platen adjust/3r adjustably mounted on said frame, a platen disposed beneath and extending longitudinally of said adjuster, means for yieldingly maintaining said platen in coiiperative relation with. said adjuster, and means for moving said platen bodily across the adjuster.

7.. In an addressing machine, the combination of a platen frame, a rotatable platen carried thereby, a platen adjuster mounted on the frame, means for adjusting the position ofsaid adjuster, yielding means for retaining the platen in cooperative relation with the adjuster, means for raising and lowering the platen frame and the platen carried thereby, and means for moving the platen relatively to the platen frame and a juster.

3. In an addressing machine, the combination of a platen frame, means for raising and lowering said frame, stops for limiting the downward movement of the frame, a platen shaft, a rotatable platen mounted thereon, a pair of rollers mounted on said shaft at the ends of the platen, a platen adjuster adjuslably mounted on the platen frame: above the platen, meansfor yield ingly holding the rollers in engagement with the platen adjuster, and means for n'ioving said; platen back and forth across the lower face of the adjuster.

9. In an addressing machine, the combination of a bed, a pivotally mounted platen frame, means for swinging said frame on its pivot. toward and from the bed, a platen guide suspended from said'frame, an adjuster interposed between the frame and platen whereby the position of the platen may be adjusted relatively to the frame, a pivoted lever, connections between the lever and said platen, and means for operating said lever to reci 'u-oeate said platen across the frame.

10. In an addrcssii'ig machine, the combination of a bed, a pivotally mounted platen frame, means for swinging said frame on its pivot toward and from the bed, a platen adjuster adjustably mounted on said frame, a rotatable platen yieldingly supported by said frame in engagement with the adjuster, and mechanism for reci rocating said platen across the face of t e adjuster.

11. In an addressing machine, the combination of-a movable bed arranged to support a printing device, automatic means for intermittently raising and lowering said bed, a platen frame, a platen, means for raising and lowering said platen and frame synchronously with the 'movement of the bed, and means for moving said platen across the bed and relatively to the frame.

12. In an addressing machine, the combination of a bed adapted to support a print ing device, automatic means for intermittently raising the bed into operative position, a platen, automatic means for intermittently lowering said platen into operativerelation with the bed, means-for mov ing said platen across the bed and means for regulating the platen pressure.

13. In an addressing machine, the combination of a bed adapted to support a printing device, means for intermittently raising and lowering said bed, a piston, means for lowering said platen at one edge of the bed synchronously with the elevation of the bed, means for varying the platen pressure, means for. moving said platen across the bed in lowered position, and means for returning said platen when elevated above the bed ice to its original position relatively to the bed.

1-4:. In an addressing machine, the combination of a bed adapted to support a printing device and provided with oam surfaces on its lower face, a reeiprocatory member provided with cam surfaces adapted to cooperate therewith to elevate the bed at predetermined intervals, a rotatable platen, means for lowering the platen into operative position, fixed stops for regulating the platen pressure. and means fpr moving said platen across the bed.

15. In an addressing machine, the combination of abed, means for raising and lowering said bed, a pivotally mounted platen frame, means for raising and lowering said frame synchronously with the bed, a platen yieldingly suspendedfrom said frame, means for limiting the lowering movement of the frame, means carried by the frame for regulating the position of the platen lt ltlf-lVGly to the frame, and means for moving said platen across the frame.

16. In an addressing machine, the combination of a substantially flat bed adapted to support a printing device, means for raising and lowering said. bed substantially in a right line, a movable plate adapted to support the matter to be printed disposer] above the bed, a movable platen, means for simulously lowering said plate and platen toward "10 taneously moving said plate and platen toward the bed, and means for moving said platen across the face of the bed.

17. In an addressing machine, the combination of a movable bed, a Work supporting plate disposed th'ereover, a rotatable platen positioned above thexplate, means for elevating said bed, means for simultanethe bed and means for rolling said platen along the plate across the-face of the bed.

18. In an addressing machine, the combination of a pivotally mounted platen frame, cam mechanismfor positively lowering said frame into operative position, means for lim- 15 iting the lowering movement, 'a platen adjuster suspended from saidframe, means for adjusting the position of the adjuster on the 'frame, a rotatably mounted platen, means for yieldingly retaining said platen in cooperative relation with the adjuster, and cam'mechanism for reciprocating said platen across the adjuster.

JOSEPH S. DUNCAN.

-Witnesses:

WM. 0. BELT, M. A. Kmmn. 

